The Ladies of Jang Ok Jung, Live in Love Meet the Press
We’re a little less than one-month out before the deluge of high-profile sageuks hits the small screen and there has been a noticeable dearth of spoilers and stills for those dramas. I’m hoping starting this week the networks will start dropping goodies because as of last week all the main cast members for Gu Family Book, Jang Ok Jung, Live in Love, and Mandate of Heaven have all showed up on their respective sets to start filming. JOJ has actually been filming for over a month now with the kids portion of the story, showing teenage King Sukjong (give name Yi Sun) and his chaste burgeoning romance with a teenage Jang Ok Jung. This week saw the ladies of the drama sit down with a media meet-and-greet, led by Kim Tae Hee who plays Jang Heebin, Hong Soo Hyun who plays Queen In Hyun, and Seung Yeon of Kara as Choi Sookbin (better known as Dong Yi). The only person missing from the onscreen catfight is Kim Ha Eun, who just signed on to play Queen Inkyung, who was the first queen consort of King Sukjong and married him when she was 10 years old and died when she was 19 years old of the pox.
According to history, Jang Heebin was widely considered the most beautiful woman in Joseon and King Sukjong was smitten the moment he saw her and took her for a concubine. Later she turned all calculating and had Queen In Hyun deposed using the power she wielded after giving birth to Sukjong’s first son who later was made Crown Prince. JOJ is a revisionist history of the life of Jang Heebin, turning her into an aspiring fashion and cosmetics designer and making her relationship with Sukjong one build on childhood love and a real love match. This ought to be interesting to see. I’m loving how beautiful the three female leads are in their exquisitely embroidered hanboks. This drama will be a veritable feast for the eyes in terms of the pretty. I’m also finally understanding why the production referenced Bu Bu Jing Xin when they discussed the drama – this is the sex-reversed version where it’s a bunch of ladies fighting for the position of Queen in court much like BBJX was a bunch of princes fighting to become Emperor.
damn, Kim Ha Eun too?…that’s two supporting actresses (including Hong Soo Hyun) that are far superior to Kim Tae Hee (imo)….I really don’t know what to think of this show….I’d like to watch it too see both Hong Soo Hyun and Jae Hee…maybe even a little for a Yoo Ah In but I’m really not getting excited for this story…looks like it’ll definitely be a visual treat though
mte, kdramas lately seem to have this deluge of second leads who outshine the leads quite comprehensively, acting-wise (thinking of Kim Min-seo in Moon/Sun, and now Hong Soo-hyun – at least Moon Chae-won is a somewhat decent actress, KTH on the other hand…. ).
I think the story of Gu Family Book sounds more compelling than this show’s, but the cast is all round solid. Hong Soo Hyun shines in sageuks, both leading men are solid, and Kim Tae Hee is a limited actress but is likeable and will probably have great chemistry with Yoo Ah In. Those hanboks are lovely. Excited for the crazy sageuk deluge, I’m swamped in melos atm and need something different (wouldn’t say no to a great rom com either js). Rooting for them all to be good!!!!!
Iam foreseeing that Hong Soo Hyun will seriously be on FIRE that she might just overshadow someone…
forgive my shallowness, but when i should be staring at such pretty hanboks why is that horrid shade of bb cream distracting me? they are such beautiful women but i keep wanting to reach into my screen and reapply their makeup. or at least blend so there isnt a ring of white faces with darker tones on scalp, face edges and neck. sigh….
i hope the drama will be good. im willing to forgive kim tae hee for a lot because she was so winning in my princess and hong soo hyun is simply brilliant. please be good! please be about strong, brilliant women fighting for what they want and not wallflowers or hateful spiteful beings or whatever stupid 1 dimensional characterization that a drunk writer comes up with. please!
gonna give it a try….as I like the male leads 😉
I’m not really excited for either of these two shows but I will tune and watch a few episodes before deciding to drop them. However, I am extremely excited for the Sword of flowers that will be airing later this month on cable. I saw some stills on the show and the handbooks are stunning, they put the ones on this show to shame which is interesting since Kim Tae He’s character is supposed to be a fashion designer.
That is a lame ass way of comparing it to BBJX. Like, really? I expected something more. It would have been cool if a present day girl were to travel in JOJ’s body.
KTH and SHS look almost like twins!
Wow..Kim Tae Hee doesn’t look as pretty as she does usually…But then again, that kind of hairstyle doesn’t flatter anyone at all..and the makeup looks too pale and didnt conceal her wrinkles..their hanboks are beautiful though
For me, the hanbok just doesn’t suit KTH… or is it the other way round?
It works on some women – Moon Chae-won and Shin Mina look fantastic in hanbok (and so did Hong Soo-hyun in TPM) but KTH may look good once she’s in motion.
So she’s a fashion designer in Joseon era?
I am looking foward to this, although I wonder why they have to push the fashion thingamabob into each era.
I am probably preaching to the choir here. The idea of a “designer” as elite is revisionist at best.
Did the Elizabethan, French, Russian, etc. courts spend lots and lots of time and money on fashion/cosmetics? Yes, absolutely. Were the ladies/men involved in creating these garbs important and highly though of? No. Taylors and maids were a dime a dozen, weren’t they? Everyone stole from everyone else. Fastest from stolen drawing to fruition was the best.
Heebin from Dong Yi still remains my favourite portrayal. Lee So Yeon eats and breathe that character. Lets see if Kim Tae Hee is capable to give 0 percent of what she did.
omgosh… they all look alike!!! can’t wait for this drama 😉